Understanding AI Models
Available Models
BrainBox offers multiple AI models optimized for different tasks:| Model | Best For | Speed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto | Let AI choose best model for your question | Varies | Varies |
| Default | General questions, balanced performance | Medium | 1-3 IU |
| Precise | Accuracy-critical questions | Slower | 1-3 IU |
| Pro/Complex | Complex analysis, hard problems | Slow | 15-20 IU |
| Flash | Quick answers, simple questions | Very Fast | 1 IU |
| Teacher | Learning, explanations, education | Medium | 1-3 IU |
Intelligence Units: Real Usage Statistics
Based on analysis of over 40,000 real platform interactions, here’s how IUs are actually consumed:Choosing the Right Model
The Default model is your go-to choice for everyday work. It handles straightforward questions with balanced speed and accuracy, making it the most common use case. When you’re comfortable with your current usage and just need reliable answers, Default has you covered. If accuracy is paramount and you don’t mind waiting a bit longer, reach for the Precise model. It excels when your question is simple and clear but demands very accurate answers where every detail matters. The Pro model is designed for heavy lifting. When you’re dealing with complex or nuanced questions, comparing multiple documents, or conducting deep analysis, Pro delivers the insights you need. Just keep in mind that it uses significantly more units (around 15-20 IU versus 1-3 for other models), so make sure you have plenty of quota available and save it for when you really need that extra analytical power. Need answers fast? The Flash model prioritizes speed over perfection. It’s ideal for simple questions where you’re conserving units and speed matters more than getting every nuance exactly right. The Teacher model takes a different approach, focusing on learning and education. When you’re trying to understand a topic rather than just extract information, Teacher provides explanations that help you learn. It’s particularly useful for students using BrainBox. Finally, Auto mode takes the decision-making off your plate. It analyzes your question and automatically selects the best model for the job, balancing cost and quality. If you don’t want to think about which model to use or have a mixed workload, Auto is perfect for you.Switching Models
Changing models is straightforward. Before asking your question, look for the model selector at the top of the chat interface. Click on the current model name (you’ll usually see something like “Default”), and a dropdown menu will appear showing all available models. Simply click the one you want, and your next question will use that model.Chat & Conversations
Starting a Chat
1
Open a Box
Click on the Box with your documents
2
Find Chat Area
Look for chat input at bottom of screen
3
Choose Model (Optional)
Select AI model from dropdown (default is fine)
4
Type Question
Ask naturally, like talking to a person
5
Send
Press Enter or click Send button
Asking Good Questions
Start Specific, Not Vague| ❌ Vague | ✅ Specific |
|---|---|
| ”Tell me about revenue" | "What are the total revenue figures for Q3?" |
| "What’s in this file?" | "Extract all email addresses from this contract" |
| "Help with marketing" | "What are the key marketing strategies mentioned?” |
Types of Questions You Can Ask
BrainBox excels at different types of queries depending on what you need. For summaries, you can ask things like “Summarize this document in 3 points” or “What are the key findings?” to quickly grasp the essentials without reading everything. When you need extraction, the AI can pull specific information like dates, email addresses, or costs. Try “List all dates mentioned” or “Extract all email addresses” or “What are the main costs?” Comparison questions help you understand differences and similarities. Ask “Compare these two approaches” or “What’s the difference between document A and B?” to see how things stack up against each other. For deeper analysis, pose questions like “What patterns do you see?” or “What seems to be the main issue?” or “Analyze the financial impact” to uncover insights that might not be immediately obvious. Need clarification? Ask the AI to “Explain this section in simpler terms” or “What does this acronym mean?” or “Break down this process step-by-step” to make complex information more digestible. Finally, BrainBox can help with generation tasks. Questions like “Based on these documents, what’s missing?” or “What recommendations would you make?” or “Create an action plan based on this” tap into the AI’s ability to synthesize information and create new insights.Chat History
Your entire conversation history is always available. Just scroll up in the chat to see previous messages and all the context from earlier in your session. This means you can reference older answers and build on them without starting over. When you’re continuing a conversation, the AI remembers everything you’ve discussed. You can ask follow-up questions naturally without repeating context, and the conversation builds organically just like talking to a colleague who remembers what you’ve been working on. Sometimes you might want a different answer to the same question. If that happens, find the response you want to redo and look for the “Regenerate” or “Try Again” button. Click it and the AI will create a fresh answer using the same question. Just keep in mind that regenerating uses Intelligence Units again.Copying & Exporting
When you get a useful answer, you can easily copy it to use elsewhere. Just find the response and click the “Copy” button. The answer gets copied to your clipboard, ready to paste into any document. For academic or professional writing where citations matter, use the “Copy with Citations” option instead. This includes source references along with the answer. BrainBox also offers APA formatting as a beta feature that you can optionally enable to get properly formatted citations that meet academic standards. If you need to export your entire chat conversation, check the Help & Support section for details on how to do that.Search Functionality
AI-Powered Search
At the heart of BrainBox is intelligent AI search that understands what you’re looking for, not just exact word matches. This is the core feature that powers the entire platform, allowing you to ask questions in natural language and get answers from across all your documents. When you ask a question in BrainBox, the AI doesn’t just look for keywords. It understands the meaning and context of your question, then searches through your documents to find the most relevant information. This semantic understanding means you can ask “What’s our renewal policy?” instead of trying to guess the exact words used in your documents.Additional Search Methods
Beyond the primary AI search, BrainBox also offers traditional full-text search for when you want to find specific keywords or phrases across your documents. This can be useful when you know exactly what you’re looking for.Using Search in Files
When browsing your files, click the search box and start typing. You can search for keywords, file names, or document titles, and results will filter as you type. Click on any result to view that file.Global Search
The global search feature lets you search across all your boxes at once. Keep in mind that global search looks for box names rather than searching inside document content. For content search, use the AI chat within a specific box.Understanding Citations
What are Citations?
Every answer the AI provides comes with citations that show you exactly where the information came from. These references point back to specific locations in your source documents, giving you transparency and allowing you to verify the information.Citation Format
Citations typically appear with the filename and location, like[filename.pdf - Page 5], [document_name - Section 3], or [Reference Title - Line 123]. This makes it easy to trace any piece of information back to its source.
Using Citations Effectively
When you need to verify information, simply click on a citation link. This jumps you directly to the exact location in the source document where you can see the full context and confirm the answer’s accuracy. This is especially important for high-stakes decisions where you need to be absolutely certain. If you’re incorporating AI-generated answers into your own writing, the “Copy with Citations” feature gives you formatted text with source references included. This ensures proper attribution and makes your work more credible. Understanding your sources is also crucial. Multiple citations generally indicate a stronger, more well-supported answer. Pay attention to which sources are being referenced most often, and consider whether those sources are recent and authoritative for your purposes.Citation Formats
For academic and professional writing, BrainBox offers APA formatting as an optional beta feature. When enabled, this formats citations with author, date, and page numbers following APA style guidelines, making them perfect for papers and reports. If you have specific formatting requirements, you can also manually note file names and page numbers from the citations to create your own custom reference list that matches whatever format you need.Best Practices
Getting Accurate Results
Accuracy starts with being specific. When you include relevant file names and ask precise questions with proper context, you give the AI everything it needs to find the right information. Think of it like asking a colleague for help—the more context you provide, the better answer you’ll get. For important decisions, always verify the information by checking citations and reading the source material. The AI is powerful, but for high-stakes situations, you want to see the original context yourself and make sure everything aligns with your needs. Choosing the right model also impacts accuracy. When you need critical answers where precision matters most, use the Precise model. For complex analysis that requires deep thinking, reach for the Pro model. And for quick checks where perfect accuracy isn’t essential, Flash will serve you well.Working Efficiently
The AI search in BrainBox is designed to understand concepts and meaning, making it your primary tool for finding information. For specific terms or exact phrases, you can supplement with full-text search. Often, combining both approaches gives you the most complete results. Managing your Intelligence Units wisely means using Flash or Default for routine questions and saving the more resource-intensive Pro model for genuinely complex problems. Keep an eye on your quota usage so you don’t run out when you need it most. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask follow-up questions. The conversation interface is designed for iteration—you can build on previous answers, ask for clarification, and progressively narrow down results until you have exactly what you need.Ready to start asking questions? Open a Box and try your first question. Need more help? Check Help & Support or Plans & Billing for quota info.